Staple lifter

ABSTRACT

A tool for removing staples from upholstery, carpeted floors, etc., having a blade with a central entering claw flanked by holding jaws spaced from the claw by slots in which a leg of the staple can be gripped between the claw and one of the jaws to hold the gripped leg against slipping while lifting that leg with a lateral tilting of the tool blade where the staple is firmly embedded. A loosened staple can then be quickly lifted free from its embedding medium by fore-aft rocking of the blade.

United States Patent [72] lnventor lrvln C. Poskln 1828 1/2 So. Robertson Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90035 [21] Appl. No. 863,797 [22] Filed Oct. 6, 1969 [45] Patented June 8, 1971 [541 STAPLE LIFTER 6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 254/28 [51] lnt.Cl B251: 11 00 301 Field 01 Search ..254/28, 131

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 910,173 1/1909 Cochran 254/28 FOREIGN PATENTS 17,972 12/1915 GreatBritain,....,

Primary Examiner-Othell M. Simpson Attorney-Lynn H. Latta STAPLE LIFTER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A staple remover having V-shaped notches between pairs of jaws at respective sides of a blade, is disclosed in Berry U.S. Pat. No. 3,310,288. It is adapted to grip the staple pursuant to lateral tilting of the blade, but has no means for lifting the staple completely free of the embedding medium by fore-aft rocking movement Rank U.S. Pat. No. 775,856, Vrana U.S. Pat. No. 1,802,687, and Cochran U.S. Pat. No. 910,173, each disclose a staple lifter having a central pointed spur for entering beneath a staple, and a fulcrum heel for fore-aft rocking of the tool to lift the staple clear from the embedding medium, but they provide no means to grip the staple to prevent slipping where the staple is tightly embedded. Also such lifters are flat across the bottom at the point of entry and hence do not provide a means for sliding under a staple easily.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides an improved construction and operation in a blade having a central claw, generally spearhead shaped in plan, projecting forwardly from a pair of laterally opposed jaws which are spaced from the neck of the claw by slots either of which can receive a leg of the staple to grip the same upon lateral tilting of the blade; the claw having on its underside a land of triangular cross section, tapering forwardly to a point, and of gradually increasing depth from the point rearwardly to a transverse pry shoulder on which the blade can be rocked rearwardly and/or tilted laterally for upward prying to initially loosen the staple; and the blade having a heel disposed rearwardly from the pry shoulder, for rocking movement of increased amplitude to lift the loosened staple clear from the embedding surface. The entry tip is a full point both vertically and horizontally, having minimum mass (crosssectional area) to be pushed under and through the staple, thus providing maximum ease of entry.

Consistent with the foregoing, the object of the invention is to provide a staple lifter of improved effectiveness and maximum ease of operation in prying loose especially tightly anchored staples, and then removing them in a series of quickly successive movements.

Other objects will become apparent in the following specifications and appended drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a staple lifter embodying the inven' tion;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the same;

FIG. 3 is an inverted plan view of the lifter blade;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the blade in an initial insertion stage of operation;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the blade in an intermediate stage of prying a staple loose from an anchoring surface, and illustrating in broken lines the final operation of removing the staple;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the blade as used in loosening a tightly embedded staple; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged front end view of the blade and staple of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawing in detail, I have shown therein, as an example of one form in which the invention may be embodied, a lifter for a staple A comprising a blade B having an integral shank C mounted in a handle D, operable to remove the staple A from an anchoring body E such as a floor or furniture frame having a covering of carpeting or carpet underpad or upholstery F secured thereto by a series of the staples.

Blade B includes a body 10 in the form of a flat bar the underface of which terminates at its forward end in a transverse pry shoulder 11, a pair of laterally spaced jaws 12 projecting forwardly from shoulder 11, and an entering claw 13 projecting forward from jaws 12. Claw 13 is generally spearhead shaped in plan, with a reduced neck 14 defined between slots 15 by which the jaws 12 are spaced laterally from the claw l3. Slots l5 converge rearwardly toward the longitudinal axis of the blade, each at an angle of 30 to 45 to such axis.

Jaws 12 are formed as thin forward extremities of wedgeshaped lateral portions of blade B tapering forwardly from full blade thickness at shoulder 11. Claw 13 is formed as the forward end portion of a central portion of blade B likewise tapering forwardly from full blade thickness. This central portion of the blade is of triangular cross section (FIG. 7) embodying a land 16 as its bottom surface, in the form of a blunt edge extending in the vertical plane of the blade axis, diagonally upwardly and forwardly from the bottom surface of the blade at shoulder 11 to the forward extremity of claw 13, where it entersects the top surface of the blade to provide an entering point on claw 13. At this point it may be noted that the top faces of claw l3 and jaws 12 are portions of the top surface of blade B, lying in a common plane. The claw l3 and land 16 have common lateral underfaces which diverge upwardly from land 16 in an obtuse dihedral angle, and, in the claw 13, substantially intersect the top surface thereof to define thin edges 17 extending from the point of the claw back to the slots 15.

Shoulder 11 is defined at a broad obtuse angle between the flat bottom of blade B and the upwardly and forwardly inclined land 16 and underfaces of the forward lateral undersurfaces terminating in claws 12.

At its rear end, blade 10 terminates in a fulcrum heel 20 where it is joined to an offset portion 21 of shank C extending upwardly from the blade to a stem portion 22 of shank C which projects from handle D along its major axis.

Blade B, in plan, is ofincreasing width from jaws 12 back to the shoulder 11, and of decreasing width from shoulder 11 back to offset shank member 21. Operation The forward point of claw 13 is adapted to penetrate beneath the crossbar of a staple A while the land 16 functions as a runner for sliding the claw l3 forwardly beneath the staple with a wedging effect, the blade being tilted forwardly so that land 16 is in full length contact with the anchoring surface as indicated in FIG. 4. As the claw I3 is advanced beneath the staple, the blade can be rocked upon shoulder 11 to lift the claw l3 slightly and pry the staple upwardly, thus assisting in further advancing the claw l3 beneath the staple. If the staple is only lightly anchored, the claw 13 can usually be advanced beneath the staple until one or both of the jaws 12 contact a leg or legs of the staple. The handle D is then lowered until heel 20 entacts the anchoring surface (FIG. 5) and upon further downward movement of the handle, the blade will be rocked upwardly, fulcruming on heel 20 as indicated in FIG. 5, with sufficient amplitude of movement to lift the staple clear of the anchoring surface.

Where the staple is tightly anchored, to the extent that the crossbar of the staple bends upwardly under the wedging entrance of claw l3 beneath it, in the initial rocking on shoulder 11 (FIG. 7) loosening of the staple can be facilitated by rolling the blade laterally as indicated by the arrows in FIGS. 6 and 7, after first manipulating the claw 13 to a position where one leg of the staple is received in a slot 15. As the blade is thus rolled, the staple leg will be engaged beneath the adjacentjaw l2 and the neck of claw 13, in a nonslipping grip which forces the leg to pull loose from the anchoring body E.

Land [6 is substantially straight and continuous back to shoulder 11, where it merges with the underface of blade B with a smooth, unbroken curvature. This facilitates the forward sliding movement of blade B in the position of FIG. 4, for wedging entry of claw l3 beneath the staple, and slight upward prying movements of claw 13 alternated with forward advance of the claw to the position of FIG. 5.

Iclaim:

l. A staple lifter comprising:

a handle;

a blade shank projecting axially from said handle;

a blade formed as a forward extension of said shank at an obtuse angle;

a fulcrum heel at the junction of said blade and shank,

defining an external corner of said obtuse angle;

said blade having a bottom face for bearing engagement with an anchoring surface in which is embedded a staple to be removed, said bottom face merging with said heel;

said blade having a forward portion the underside of which is inclined upwardly and forwardly from said bottom face at an obtuse angle;

a transverse pry shoulder defined between said forward portion underside and said bottom face;

a pair of forwardly projecting, laterally opposed jaws formed as forward extremities of respective sides of said forward blade portion;

an entry claw formed as the forward extremity of said forward blade portion at the center thereof, said claw projecting forwardly of said jaws along the longitudinal axis of the blade and having a neck portion integral with the blade and spaced from said jaws to define forwardly opening slots in which staple legs are receivable;

said claw being tapered forwardly both horizontally and vertically to an entry point for insertion beneath a staple;

and a longitudinally extending bearing land defining a bottom extremity of said forward blade portion in the vertical plane of said blade axis, merging with said shoulder at its rear extremity and extending forwardly therefrom to said entry point in converging relation to the upper face of said claw, said land functioning as a runner to facilitate advance of said claw beneath a staple with a wedging action with said runner in contact with said anchoring surface and said blade tilted upwardly from said anchoring surface, whereby said blade can be rocked slightly upon said shoulder to effect a prying action along with forward advance of said claw, for preliminary loosening of the staple, said fulcrum heel providing for amplified rocking of said blade to raise the forward portion of the blade and lift the loosened staple from said anchoring surface.

2. A staple lifter as defined in claim 1, wherein said bearing land and said claw are of V-cross section.

3. A staple lifter as defined in claim 1, wherein said staple leg receiving slots diverge forwardly relative to said longitudinal axis.

4. A staple lifter as defined in claim 1, wherein said claw is spearhead shaped in plan, said staple leg receiving slots diverging forwardly relative to said longitudinal axis.

5. A staple lifter as defined in claim A, wherein said jaws are wedge-ahaped, with undersides inclined upwardly and forwardly from said pry shoulder at a steeper angle than said land and above said land.

6. A staple lifter as defined in claim 11, wherein said land is substantially straight and continuous from said entry point back to said pry shoulder. 

1. A staple lifter comprising: a handle; a blade shank projecting axially from said handle; a blade formed as a forward extension of said shank at an obtuse angle; a fulcrum heel at the junction of said blade and shank, defining an external corner of said obtuse angle; said blade having a bottom face for bearing engagement with an anchoring surface in which is embedded a staple to be removed, said bottom face merging with said heel; said blade having a forward portion the underside of which is inclined upwardly and forwardly from said bottom face at an obtuse angle; a transverse pry shoulder defined between said forward portion underside and said bottom face; a pair of forwardly projecting, laterally opposed jaws formed as forward extremities of respective sides of said forward blade portion; an entry claw formed as the forward extremity of said forward blade portion at the center thereof, said claw projecting forwardly of said jaws along the longitudinal axis of the blade and having a neck portion integral with the blade and spaced from said jaws to define forwardly opening slots in which staple legs are receivable; said claw being tapered forwardly both horizontally and vertically to an entry point for insertion beneath a staple; and a longitudinally extending bearing land defining a bottom extremity of said forward blade portion in the vertical plane of said blade axis, merging with said shoulder at its rear extremity and extending forwardly therefrom to said entry point in converging relation to the upper face of said claw, said land functioning as a runner to facilitate advance of said claw beneath a staple with a wedging action with said runner in contact with said anchoring surface and said blade tilted upwardly from said anchoring surface, whereby said blade can be rocked slightly upon said shoulder to effect a prying action along with forward advance of said claw, for preliminary loosening of the staple, said fulcrum heel providing for amplified rocking of said blade to raise the forward portion of the blade and lift the loosened staple from said anchoring surface.
 2. A staple lifter as defined in claim 1, wherein said bearing land and said claw are of V-cross section.
 3. A staple lifter as defined in claim 1, wherein said staple leg receiving slots diverge forwardly relative to said longitudinal axis.
 4. A staple lifter as defined in claim 1, wherein said claw is spearhead shaped in plan, said staple leg receiving slots diverging forwardly relative to said longitudinal axis.
 5. A staple lifter as defined in claim 1, wherein said jaws are wedge-shaped, with undersides inclined upwardly and forwardly from said pry shoulder at a steeper angle than said land and above said land.
 6. A staple lifter as defined in claim 1, wherein said land is substantially straight and continuous from said entry point back to said pry shoulder. 